Filtered cigarette with diffuse tipping material

ABSTRACT

A filtered cigarette includes a smokable rod and a filter element. The smokable rod is secured to the filter element using tipping material. The tipping material includes at least one flavorant providing a sensory characteristic. The cigarette may include more than one layer of tipping material. An outer layer of tipping material can overlie at least a portion of an underlying inner layer of tipping material, and during use by the smoker, the outer layer can be removed from the cigarette. Thus, it is possible for a cigarette manufacturer to provide a cigarette that can be used as such by the smoker, or that can be adapted by the smoker to provide a different sensory experience (e.g., the visual, organoleptic, trigeminal, aromatic, and tactile characteristics of the cigarette can be altered by removal of the outer tipping material, and or by provision of a tipping material layer that is treated with a flavorant and/or provides a desirable diffusivity). The use of the outer layer of tipping material can be used to improve the physical integrity of the cigarette.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to smoking articles, such asfiltered cigarettes, and particularly to tipping paper material usedthereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a substantiallycylindrical rod shaped structure and include a charge, roll, or columnof smokable material such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form)surrounded by a paper wrapper thereby forming a so-called “smokable rod”or “tobacco rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter elementaligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, afilter element comprises cellulose acetate tow plasticized usingtriacetin, and the tow is circumscribed by a paper material known as“plug wrap.” A cigarette can incorporate a filter element havingmultiple segments, and one of those segments can comprise activatedcharcoal particles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,186 to Veluz;PCT Pub. No. WO 2006/064371 to Banerjea; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2007/0056600, to Coleman III, et al.; each of which is incorporatedherein by reference. Typically, the filter element is attached to oneend of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as“tipping paper,” in order to provide a so-called “filtered cigarette.”It also has become desirable to perforate the tipping material and plugwrap, in order to provide dilution of drawn mainstream smoke withambient air. Descriptions of cigarettes and the various componentsthereof are set forth Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology,Davis et al. (Eds.) (1999). A cigarette is employed by a smoker bylighting one end thereof and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker thenreceives mainstream smoke into his/her mouth by drawing on the oppositeend (e.g., the filter or mouth end) of the cigarette.

Various attempts to alter the visual attributes of cigarettes have beenproposed. For example, there have been attempts to alter the color ofthe wrapping materials that provide the wrapping material of the tobaccorod (e.g., cigarettes marketed under the tradename “More” by R. J.Reynolds Tobacco Company include cigarette rod wrapping papersexhibiting a brown color) and tipping materials used to attach thetobacco rod to the filter element (e.g., tipping materials have beenprinted so as to include a “cork” appearance and/or to include at leastone circumscribing ring). In addition, there have been attempts to alterthe general appearance of the filter elements of cigarettes. See, forexample, the types of cigarette filter element formats, configurationsand designs set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,663 to Schultz; U.S. Pat.No. 4,508,525 to Berger; U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,763 to Nichols; U.S. Pat.No. 4,655,736 to Keith; U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,385 to Chumney, Jr.; U.S.Pat. No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 toRaker; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2007/0215167, to Crooks et al.; eachof which is incorporated herein by reference.

The sensory attributes of cigarette smoke can be enhanced by applyingadditives to tobacco and/or by otherwise incorporating flavoringmaterials into various components of a cigarette. See, Leffingwell etal., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products, R. J. Reynolds TobaccoCompany (1972). For example, one type of tobacco flavoring additive ismenthol. See, Borschke, Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci., 19, p. 47-70, 1993. Variousproposed methods for modifying the sensory attributes of cigarettes haveinvolved suggestion that filter elements may be used as vehicles foradding flavor to the mainstream smoke of those cigarettes. U.S. Pat. No.6,761,174 to Jupe et al. proposes the placement of adsorbent andflavor-releasing materials in a cigarette filter. U.S. Pat. No.6,584,979 to Xue et al. proposes the placement of fibers containingsmall particle size adsorbents/absorbents in the filter. U.S. Pat. No.4,941,486 to Dube et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,905 to Green, Jr. etal. propose manners and methods for the placement of a flavor-containingpellet in each cigarette filter. Other representative types ofcigarettes incorporating flavorants at or near the mouth end are setforth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,335 to Tiggelbeck et al.; U.S. Pat. No.4,082,098 to Owens, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,671 to Byrne; U.S. Pat. No.4,643,205 to Redding et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,995 to Kallianos etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,390 to Nichols et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,391to Woods et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,526 to Pryor; U.S. Pat. No.5,012,829 to Thesing et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,285 to Rivers; and U.S.Pat. No. 7,074,170 to Lanier, Jr. et al.; each of which is incorporatedherein by reference. See, also, the types of cigarette filtertechnologies that are discussed in the background art section set forthin U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2004/0261807 to Dube et al.;which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, tipping paperproducts are available that include a humidity-activated flavor- oraroma-releasing material from, for example, Tannpapier (Austria).

It would be highly desirable to provide a smoker with the ability toenhance his/her smoking experience, such as can be accomplished byproviding a filtered cigarette including a filter element end havingparticular design features. That is, it would be desirable to provide acigarette including filter end components that are employed in a mannersuch that the visual appearance of the cigarette is aestheticallypleasing. It also would be desirable to provide a cigarette includingselected design features that can be modified or otherwise controlled.In addition, it would be desirable to provide a filter element for acigarette that is capable of enhancing the sensory attributes of thecigarette during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to filtered cigarettes. A representativecigarette includes a smokable rod and a filter element. The smokablerod, which contains filler material (e.g., tobacco cut filler) intendedto be burned to yield drawn mainstream tobacco smoke, is connected orotherwise secured to the filter element using tipping material. Thecigarette may include one or more than one layer of tipping material.For example, the cigarette can include an outer layer of tippingmaterial that overlies at least a portion of an underlying inner layerof tipping material, and during use by the person desiring to smoke thecigarette, the outer layer can be removed therefrom. Thus, it ispossible for a cigarette manufacturer to provide a single cigarette thatcan be used by the smoker as provided, or that can easily be adapted bythe smoker to provide a different sensory experience (e.g., wherein thevisual, organoleptic, trigeminal, aromatic and tactile characteristicsof the cigarette can be altered by removal of the outer tippingmaterial). Alternatively, an outer layer of tipping material (e.g., asecond layer of tipping material) may be used to further improve thephysical integrity of the cigarette. In yet another regard, outertipping material including printed indicia (e.g., information printed onthe inner surface of a removable outer layer of tipping material) can beused for marketing purposes (e.g., to identify each individual cigarettefor purposes of promotional or advertising campaigns, or to identifycigarettes for purposes of discouraging counterfeiting).

In one aspect, a filtered cigarette of the present invention may includea distal end portion comprising a tobacco rod and a proximal end portioncomprising a filter element having a distal filter end and a proximalmouth end. The smokable rod is secured to the distal filter end by atipping material that substantially covers the outer surface of thefilter element along its longitudinal circumference and that covers thesmokable rod along a proximal portion of its circumference adjacent tothe filter element. The tipping material includes at least onenonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse region comprising adiffusivity of at least about 1.5 cm/sec; and wherein the tippingmaterial also includes at least one flavorant applied thereto in apattern that covers less than an entire surface of the tipping material,where the flavorant provides a sensory characteristic selected fromorganoleptic sensation, taste sensation, aroma sensation, trigeminalnerve stimulation sensation, and any combination thereof.

In another aspect, a filtered cigarette of the present invention mayinclude a smokable rod and a filter element having a distal filter endand a proximal mouth end, where the smokable rod is secured to thedistal filter end by a first tipping material that substantiallycircumscribes the filter element along its longitudinal periphery andthat substantially circumscribes the smokable rod along a proximalportion of its longitudinal periphery adjacent to the filter element.The tipping material includes at least one flavorant applied thereto ina pattern that covers less than an entire surface of the tippingmaterial and providing a sensory characteristic selected fromorganoleptic sensation, taste sensation, aroma sensation, trigeminalnerve stimulation sensation, and any combination thereof.

In yet another aspect, the a filtered cigarette of the invention mayinclude a smokable rod and a filter element having a mouth end terminus,the smokable rod and filter element being secured to one another by afirst tipping material that circumscribes the filter element along itslongitudinal periphery and the smokable rod along a portion of itslongitudinal periphery in a region thereof adjacent to the filterelement, the cigarette further comprising a second tipping materialoverlying at least a portion of first tipping material.

The two tipping materials can be substantially identical in overalldimension, or the second tipping material can extend further along thelongitudinal periphery of the smokable rod than the first tippingmaterial, or the first tipping material can extend further along thelongitudinal periphery of the smokable rod than the second tippingmaterial. Each of the first and second tipping materials can include aseries of air dilution perforations, or only the inner tipping materialcan include such perforations.

In certain embodiments, all or at least a portion of the second tippingmaterial is removable from the cigarette. In certain applications, thevisual appearance, tactile characteristics, or other properties of thetwo tipping materials can differ such that removal of the second tippingmaterial exposes the smoker to a different property, such as a differentflavor or aroma, a different visual appearance, or a different tactilecharacteristic.

The second tipping material can include, in certain embodiments,features such as printed indicia on its inner face, a perforated regionadapted to facilitate removal of at least a portion of the secondtipping material, a tab region adapted for grasping for removal of atleast a portion of the second tipping material, or combinations thereof.

There are several ways in which the two tipping materials can be appliedto the cigarette rod. For example, the first tipping material and thesecond tipping material can be formed from a single piece of tippingmaterial wrapped around the filter element. Alternatively, the twotipping materials can be preformed as a tipping material laminate priorto application to the cigarette rod. For example, the tipping materiallaminate can comprise a first layer of tipping material having a firstedge and a second edge and a second layer of tipping material, whereinthe first layer and the second layer are offset such that, when wrappedaround a rod-shaped object, the first edge of the first layer of tippingmaterial can overlie the second edge of the first layer of tippingmaterial. The first edge of the first layer of tipping material can becoextensive with a first edge of the second layer of tipping material.Alternatively, a first edge of the second layer of tipping material canextend beyond the first edge of the first layer of tipping material,thereby forming a tab region of the second layer of tipping material.

In a further embodiment, the second tipping material comprises a firstregion proximal to the smokable rod, a second region remote from thesmokable rod, and a perforated region therebetween, wherein one of thefirst and second regions is securely affixed to the first tippingmaterial and the other of the first and second regions is configured toslidably engage the filter element upon perforation of the perforatedregion. The first region can be configured to slidably engage the filterelement and the smokable rod and, for example, can include a flavorantadapted to alter the sensory characteristics of the cigarette before,during, or after smoking. In other embodiments, the first region isformed of a non-combustible material and is configured to extinguish thecigarette when slidably engaged with the smokable rod. Alternatively,the second region is configured to slidably engage the filter elementand extend beyond the mouth end terminus of the filter element.

In yet another aspect, a filtered cigarette of the invention may includea smokable rod and a filter element having a distal filter end and aproximal mouth end, where the smokable rod is secured to the distalfilter end by a first tipping material that substantially circumscribesthe filter element along its longitudinal periphery and circumscribesthe smokable rod along a proximal portion of its longitudinal peripheryadjacent to the filter element. The tipping material includes at leastone nonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse region comprising adiffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec. And, in still another aspect, afiltered cigarette of the invention includes a distal end and a proximalend with a smokable rod and a filter element, which has a distal filterend and a proximal mouth end. The smokable rod is secured to the distalfilter end by a first tipping material that substantially circumscribesthe filter element along its longitudinal periphery and circumscribesthe smokable rod along a proximal portion of its longitudinal peripheryadjacent to the filter element, wherein substantially the entire tippingmaterial includes a nonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse regionincluding a diffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to assist the understanding of embodiments of the invention,reference will now be made to the appended drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale and in which like reference numerals refer tolike elements. The drawings are exemplary only, and should not beconstrued as limiting the invention. For the various figures, in orderto clearly shown the configurations of the various wrapping materials,the thicknesses of those wrapping materials of the various filteredcigarettes are exaggerated. Most preferably, the wrapping materials aretightly wrapped around the filtered cigarettes to provide a tight orsnug fit, to provide a cigarette having acceptable physical integrity,and to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a filteredcigarette of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a “two-up”filtered cigarette of the invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B each show a perspective view of a cigarette embodimentfrom a “two-up” cigarette like that of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3 through 5 are cross-sectional views of further selectedembodiments of filtered cigarettes of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are end views, viewed from the mouth end, of selectedembodiments of filtered cigarettes of the invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side views of selected embodiments of laminatedtipping materials that are useful for the manufacture of cigarettes ofthe invention;

FIG. 10 is an end view, viewed from the mouth end, of one embodiment ofa filtered cigarette of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a view of tipping material useful for the manufacture of acigarette of the generally type set forth in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a cigarette embodiment with a single layer of tippingmaterial.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawing. The invention may be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout. As used in this specificationand the claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Althoughpreferred embodiments of the invention include two layers of tippingmaterial, the invention also encompasses embodiments wherein three ormore layers of tipping material are applied to the cigarette.

Referring to FIG. 1, there are shown components of a smoking article 174in the form of a filtered cigarette. The cigarette 174 includes agenerally cylindrical rod 186 of a charge or roll of smokable fillermaterial 188 contained in a circumscribing wrapping material 190 of thepresent invention. The rod 186 is conventionally referred to as a“smokable rod” or “tobacco rod”. The ends of the tobacco rod are open toexpose the smokable filler material. At one end of the tobacco rod 186is the lighting end 195, and at the other end is shown a filter element200. The cigarette 174 normally includes a filter element 200 or othersuitable mouthpiece positioned adjacent one end of the tobacco rod 186such that the filter element and tobacco rod are axially aligned in anend-to-end relationship, preferably abutting one another. Filter element200 has a generally cylindrical shape, and the diameter thereof isessentially equal to the diameter of the tobacco rod. The ends of thefilter element are open to permit the passage of air and smoketherethrough. The filter element 200 includes filter material 205 (e.g.,plasticized cellulose acetate tow) that is overwrapped along thelongitudinally extending surface thereof with circumscribing plug wrapmaterial 206. The filter element 200 can comprise two or more filtersegments (not shown), and/or flavor additives incorporated therein.

The filter element 200 is attached to the tobacco rod 186 by a firsttipping material 208 which circumscribes both the entire length of thefilter element and an adjacent region of the tobacco rod. The innersurface of the first tipping material 208 is fixedly secured to theouter surface of the plug wrap 206 and the outer surface of the wrappingmaterial 190 of the tobacco rod, using a suitable adhesive (e.g., awater-based adhesive of the type traditionally employed by cigarettemanufacturers for application of tipping paper during filtered cigarettemanufacture). That is, the first tipping material extends around thelongitudinally extending periphery of substantially the entire length ofthe plug wrap, and a portion of the longitudinally extending peripheryof the wrapping material of the tobacco rod in a region of the tobaccorod immediately adjacent to the filter element. A ventilated orair-diluted smoking article may be provided with an air dilution means,such as a plurality or series of perforations 210, each of which extendthrough the tipping material 208 and plug wrap 206. Most preferably,adhesive is applied to a longitudinally extending seam line or lap zone(not shown) of the first tipping material, such as is conventionallyemployed during cigarette manufacture.

Typical wrapping material base sheets suitable for use as thecircumscribing wrappers of tobacco rods for cigarettes have inherentporosities that can vary. Typical base sheets have inherent porositiesthat are at least about 5 CORESTA units, usually are at least about 10CORESTA units, often are at least about 15 CORESTA units, and frequentlyare at least about 20 CORESTA units. Typical base sheets have inherentporosities that are less than about 200 CORESTA units, usually are lessthan about 150 CORESTA units, often are less than about 85 CORESTAunits, and frequently are less than about 70 CORESTA units. A CORESTAunit is a measure of the linear air velocity that passes through a 1 cm²area of wrapping material at a constant pressure of 1 cent bar. See,CORESTA Publication ISO/TC0126/SC I N159E (1986). The term “inherentporosity” refers to the porosity of that wrapping material itself to theflow of air. A particularly preferred paper wrapping material base sheetis composed of wood pulp and calcium carbonate, and exhibits an inherentporosity of about 20 to about 50 CORESTA units.

Typical paper wrapping material base sheets suitable for use as thecircumscribing wrappers of tobacco rods for cigarettes incorporate atleast one type of fibrous material, and can incorporate at least onefiller material, in amounts that can vary. Typical base sheets includeabout 55 to about 100, often about 65 to about 95, and frequently about70 to about 90 percent fibrous material (which most preferably is acellulosic material); and about 0 to about 45, often about 5 to about35, and frequently about 10 to about 30 percent filler material (whichmost preferably is an inorganic material); based on the dry weight ofthat base sheet.

The wrapping material typically incorporates a fibrous material. Thefibrous material can vary. Most preferably, the fibrous material is acellulosic material, and the cellulosic material can be alignocellulosic material. Exemplary cellulosic materials include flaxfibers, hardwood pulp, softwood pulp, hemp fibers, esparto fibers, kenaffibers, jute fibers and sisal fibers. Mixtures of two or more types ofcellulosic materials can be employed. For example, wrapping materialscan incorporate mixtures of flax fibers and wood pulp. The fibers can bebleached or unbleached. Other fibrous materials that can be incorporatedwithin wrapping materials include microfibers materials and fibroussynthetic cellulosic materials. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.4,779,631 to Durocher and U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,153 to Ishino.Representative fibrous materials, and methods for making wrappingmaterials therefrom, are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,754,207 to Schuret al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,095 to Allen et al.; and PCT WO 01/48318.

The wrapping material normally incorporates a filler material.Preferably, the filler material has the form of essentially waterinsoluble particles. Additionally, the filler material normallyincorporates inorganic components. Filler materials incorporatingcalcium salts are particularly preferred. One exemplary filler materialhas the form of calcium carbonate, and the calcium carbonate mostpreferably is used in particulate form. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.4,805,644 to Hampl; U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,551 to Sanders; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,263,500 to Baldwin et al.; and PCT WO 01/48,316. Other fillermaterials include agglomerated calcium carbonate particles, calciumtartrate particles, magnesium oxide particles, magnesium hydroxide gels;magnesium carbonate-type materials, clays, diatomaceous earth materials,titanium dioxide particles, gamma alumina materials and calcium sulfateparticles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,449 to Allegrini; U.S.Pat. No. 4,108,151 to Martin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,377 to Cline; U.S.Pat. No. 4,450,847 to Owens; U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,631 to Durocher; U.S.Pat. No. 4,915,118 to Kaufman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,306 to Bokelman; U.S.Pat. No. 5,109,876 to Hayden; U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,811 to Paine; U.S.Pat. No. 5,927,288 to Bensalem; U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,461 to Bensalem; andU.S. Pat. No. 6,138,684 to Yamazaki; and European Pat. App No 357,359.Certain filler-type materials that can be incorporated into the wrappingmaterials can have fibrous forms. For example, components of the fillermaterial can include materials such as glass fibers, ceramic fibers,carbon fibers and calcium sulfate fibers. See, for example, U.S. Pat.No. 2,998,012 to Lamm; U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,679 to Cline; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,103,844 to Hayden et al.; PCT WO 01/41590; and European Pat.Application 1,084,629. Mixtures of filler materials can be used. Forexample, filler material compositions can incorporate mixtures ofcalcium carbonate particles and precipitated magnesium hydroxide gel,mixtures of calcium carbonate particles and calcium sulfate fibers, ormixtures of calcium carbonate particles and magnesium carbonateparticles.

There are various ways by which the various additive components can beadded to, or otherwise incorporated into, the base sheet. Certainadditives can be incorporated into the wrapping material as part of thepaper manufacturing process associated with the production of thatwrapping material. Alternatively, additives can be incorporated into thewrapping material using size press techniques, spraying techniques,printing techniques, or the like. Such techniques, known as “off-line”techniques, are used to apply additives to wrapping materials afterthose wrapping materials have been manufactured. Various additives canbe added to, or otherwise incorporated into, the wrapping materialsimultaneously or at different stages during or after the papermanufacturing process. Each of these and other embodiments of cigarettesof the present invention most preferably include anaesthetically-pleasing experience and present desirable visual,olfactory, taste, and tactile sensations for a smoker.

The base sheets can be treated further, and those base sheets can betreated so as to impart a change to the overall physical characteristicsthereof and/or so as to introduce a change in the overall chemicalcompositions thereof. For example, the base sheet can beelectrostatically perforated. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,888to Perfetti et al. The base sheet also can be embossed, for example, inorder to provide texture to major surface thereof. Additives can beincorporated into the wrapping material for a variety of reasons.Representative additives and methods for incorporating those additivesto wrapping materials are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 toGentry, which is incorporated herein by reference. See, also, U.S. Pat.No. 5,168,884 to Baldwin et al.

Certain components, such as alkali metal salts, can act a burn controladditives. Representative salts include alkali metal succinates,citrates, acetates, malates, carbonates, chlorides, tartrates,propionates, nitrates and glycolates; including sodium succinate,potassium succinate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium acetate,potassium acetate, sodium malate, potassium malate, sodium carbonate,potassium carbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodiumtartrate, potassium tartrate, sodium propionate, potassium propionate,sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium glycolate and potassiumglycolate; and other salts such as monoammonium phosphate. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,568 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,311 toMatthews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,983 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,485to Perfetti et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,541 to Perfetti et al.; and PCTWO 01/08514. Certain components, such as metal citrates, can act as ashconditioners or ash sealers. See, for example, European Pat. App. No.1,084,630. Other representative components include organic and inorganicacids, such as malic, levulinic, boric and lactic acids. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,131 to Simon. Other representativecomponents include catalytic materials. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.2,755,207 to Frankenburg.

Typically, the amount of chemical additive does not exceed about 3percent, often does not exceed about 2 percent, and usually does notexceed about 1 percent, based on the dry weight of the wrapping materialto which the chemical additive is applied. For certain wrappingmaterials, the amount of certain additive salts, such as burn chemicalssuch as potassium citrate and monoammonium phosphate, preferably are inthe range of about 0.5 to about 0.8 percent, based on the dry weight ofthe wrapping material to which those additive salts are applied.Relatively high levels of additive salts can be used on certain types ofwrapping materials printed with printed regions that are very effectiveat causing extinction of cigarettes manufactured from those wrappingmaterials. Exemplary flax-containing cigarette paper wrapping materialshaving relatively high levels of chemical additives have been availableas Grade Names 512, 525, 527, 540, 605 and 664 from Schweitzer-MauduitInternational. Exemplary wood pulp-containing cigarette paper wrappingmaterials having relatively high levels of chemical additives have beenavailable as Grade Names 406 and 419 from Schweitzer-MauduitInternational. Porosity and diffusivity are among the properties thatmay be controlled by these means, as well as by printing or otherapplication of films, film-forming materials, inks, pigments, othermaterials, or any combination thereof. Tipping materials can similarlybe constructed and treated. For example, specific porosity of a tippingmaterial and plug wrap combination may be modified by constructing andtreating the materials forming them. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,895to Muramatsu, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,318 to Snow, et al.

Flavoring agents and/or flavor and aroma precursors (e.g., vanillinglucoside and/or ethyl vanillin glucoside) also can be incorporated intothe paper wrapping material. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,002to Herron; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,486 to Dube et al. Flavoring agentsalso can be printed onto cigarette papers. See, for example, the typesof flavoring agents used in cigarette manufacture that are set forth inGutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp.(1972) and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products(1972). Films can be applied to the paper. See, for example, U.S. Pat.No. 4,889,145 to Adams; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,675 to Milford et al., andPCT WO 02/43513 and PCT WO 02/055294. Catalytic materials can beincorporated into the paper. See, for example, PCT WO 02/435134.

In conventional cigarettes, adhesive is provided between substantiallythe entire underside surface of the inner tipping material 208 and theplug wrap 206 (or directly to the exterior of a filter in cigarettesthat do not include a plug wrap) on a proximal mouth-end portion and thewrapping material 190 on a distal portion (each relative to the tippingmaterial). However, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the adhesive preferablyis applied only to specified regions. For example, the adhesive may beapplied as a proximal band 187 and a distal band 189. In the embodimentof FIG. 1, the tipping material preferably is a diffuse tippingmaterial. In diffuse tipping material embodiments, the diffusivity oftipping material will most preferably be similar to that of standardcigarette wrapping material such as, for example, the material 190(e.g., diffusivity of about 2 cm/sec, or a base porosity of about 15 toabout 80 CORESTA) or similar materials of the type commonly used arounda tobacco charge in a cigarette. Preferred embodiments will have asingle layer of diffuse tipping material and porous or no plug wrap.Diffuse tipping material will be greater than 0 CORESTA and less than100 CORESTA, with a preferred range between about 5 to about 80 CORESTA,and a diffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec, preferably at least about1.5 cm/sec. These diffusivity measures preferably apply to tippingmaterial including any printed formulations (e.g., lip release,adhesive, etc.). Diffusivity may be measured using techniques such as,for example, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. 2005/0087202 toNorman et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. This differssignificantly from typical tipping materials, which may provide littleor no diffusivity (e.g., about 0 cm/sec, commonly less than about 1cm/sec, or a base porosity of less than about 10 CORESTA). However,other highly porous, highly porous tipping materials are also known(e.g., 300-1200 CORESTA, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,895 to Muramatsu, etal.), including some that are highly-perforated by, for example, alaser.

The diffuse tipping material 208 may include one or more perforations(e.g., a laser perforation 210). In preferred embodiments, air flowthrough the longitudinal circumferential surface area of the diffusetipping material 208 between (and/or through) adhesive bands 187, 189provides desirable characteristics to mainstream aerosol for a smoker.For example, the mainstream aerosol at the mouth end may, under FTCsmoking conditions, provide for lower “tar” and CO content and a lowerCO/tar ratio as compared with a cigarette otherwise identical, but madewith a conventional low/no-diffusivity tipping material. This effect,along with flavor intensity of mainstream aerosol may be varied bychanging the dilution percentage of the cigarette filter 200 by, forexample, laser perforations thereof.

For cigarette embodiments including diffuse tipping material, thetipping material may be selected from a number of paper or paper-likematerials. In one example, a typical wrapping material of the typecommonly used to contain a tobacco charge may be used. Such a wrappingmaterial will most preferably include a desirable diffusivity (e.g.,sometimes greater than 1 cm/sec, preferably greater than about 1.5cm/sec, often about 1 to about 3 cm/sec, and frequently about 2 cm/sec).Preferably, to be used as a tipping material, a paper or paper-likeproduct will be configured to include some features not typicallypresent in a tobacco wrapping material. For example, cellulose orpolymer fibers (e.g., plastics) may be incorporated during manufactureand/or applied to one or both surfaces to enhance it structuralintegrity by providing, for example, columnar strength, resistance tomoisture (e.g., from the mouth of a smoker), and desirable lip-releasetraits. (In the cigarette art, the term “lip-release” refers tomaterials configured to promote easy release of contact between humanlips and the tipping-material-covered filter section of a cigarettewithout substantial sticking, and the lip-release material referred toherein may include any standard lip-release formulations currently knownand/or practiced in the art, or developed in the future).

The diffuse tipping material may be formed as a weave, mesh, paper,membrane, and/or other appropriate structure providing the desireddiffusivity. Its thickness and density may be determined duringmanufacture or altered thereafter to provide desired diffusivity, and alower mass is generally preferred. Treatment of the diffuse tippingmaterial with, or inclusion therein of, fibers, films, coatings, orother means for providing desired traits may be localized to particularregions of the tipping material. For example, lip-release and/ormoisture-resistance may be provided only on a proximal-most mouth endportion. As another example, fibers or other means providing orpromoting columnar strength may be provided primarily or only in aregion of the tipping paper that will span the junction of a filterportion with a tobacco rod. As one means for providing desirablelip-release, one or more film-forming materials such as, for example,nitrocellulose, may be applied to the tipping material or incorporatedtherein. Moisture resistant papers and paper materials, including thosethat may provide desirable columnar strength are known in the art, andmay readily be used within or adapted for use within the scope of thepresent invention.

A mesh, a porous paper material other than a typical wrapping material,or another paper-like material (e.g., a polymer sheet) may be used toprovide a diffuse tipping material. In addition to diffusivity,desirable traits will include that the diffuse tipping material shouldprovide acceptable “mouth feel” to a smoker (for at least that portionthat will contact a smoker's mouth) including lip-release. It shouldprovide structural strength sufficient for holding the filter andsmokable rod together during typical use (manufacturing, packaging,transport, lighting, and smoking). It should not degrade or develop anunpleasant taste or texture when in contact with a smoker's mouth. Andit should provide a neutral or positive flavor and contact sensation, ifany, to the smoker. A mixture of organic and/or inorganic fibers and/orparticles, formulated in any of many ways known in the paper-making andmembrane-making arts may be used to form the diffuse tipping material.

Some or all of the tipping material may provide a desirable diffusivitythat is greater than traditional tipping materials. In certainembodiments, the thickness and/or density of the tipping material may bevaried to provide a desired diffusivity and/or flavor profile. Forexample, a very diffuse paper or mesh may be as thick as, or thickerthan, a typical tipping material to provide desirable structuralstrength while also providing a desirable diffusivity.

The cigarette 174 may also include a second tipping material 250. Thesecond tipping material 250 provides an outer layer that overlies andcircumscribes the first tipping material 208. All or selected portionsof the inner surface of the second tipping material 250 may fixedly besecured to the outer surface of the inner or first tipping material 208.As such, in preferred embodiments, the second tipping material 250 alsooverlies the entire length of the filter element and the adjacent regionof the tobacco rod. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, both tippingmaterials extend essentially equal distances along the region of thetobacco rod that is adjacent the filter element. For certain preferredcigarettes, the first and second tipping materials each aresubstantially identical in overall dimension (e.g., those tippingmaterials have comparable thicknesses, widths, and lengths). In otherembodiments, a ventilated or air-diluted smoking article may be providedwith an air dilution means, such as a series of perforations 210, eachof which extends through the outer tipping material 250, the innertipping material 208, and the plug wrap 206.

Adhesive may be applied in to each of the tipping materials usingtechniques generally similar to those employed conventionally fortipping material application during cigarette manufacture. In such amanner, one or two layers of tipping material can be applied and securedusing conventional adhesives, and the cigarette so provided may be usedwith one (of a single-layer or double-layer tipping) or both layers oftipping material attached thereto. However, adhesive can be applied to alongitudinally extending seam line or lap zone (not shown, see regions600, 616 of FIG. 6) of a second tipping material 250 rather than itsentire underside surface. In such a manner, a second tipping material250 may be adapted and applied to the cigarette such that the secondtipping material is purposefully removable from that cigarette. Thus,the resulting filtered cigarette of acceptable quality can be employedby leaving the second tipping material 250 intact. In anotherembodiment, a second tipping material 250 can be removed from thecigarette, while the first tipping material 208 provides an alteredfiltered cigarette that also is of acceptable quality and thatpreferably will provide a different, but desirable, flavor profile orother characteristic for a smoker.

In one embodiment, an outer (e.g., second) tipping material 250, whichis not configured or treated so as to provide for air dilution to thecigarette, or which is treated in such a manner such that the cigarettedoes not experience a high degree or level of air dilution, can beremoved from the cigarette. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, aperforation 211 may extend only through the plug wrap 206 and the innertipping material 208. As such, the underlying or first tipping material208, which can be treated so as to provide for a relatively high levelof dilution to the cigarette, can be exposed by removal of the overlyingsecond tipping to allow for a higher level of air dilution. As such, thecigarette can be smoked with the second tipping material 250 intact, inorder to provide for more flavorful mainstream smoke; or that secondtipping material can be removed, in order to provide air dilutedmainstream smoke that is less flavorful in character, but may alsoreduce the presence and/or relative amounts of tar and CO.

A representative manner or method for providing such a cigaretteinvolves suitable modification of the equipment and methodologiesemployed by cigarette manufacturers to provide so-called “banded”cigarettes for consumer research purposes. That is, rather than applyinga circumscribing band (e.g., a band of about 1 cm width) around thecigarette in the general region where the tobacco rod and filter elementabut one another, a second tipping material is applied as acircumscribing band over the entire length of the filter element and aportion of the length of the tobacco rod in a region of the tobacco rodadjacent to the filter element. As such, there are provided filteredcigarettes including one or two layers of tipping material that arepositioned, applied and aligned in a predetermined, desired fashion,meaning that the position and alignment of each layer of tippingmaterial is predetermined by the manufacturer. Such equipment isparticularly suitable for applying two appropriately aligned layers oftipping material to a cigarette, neither of which layer of tippingmaterial is designed for the purpose of removal from the cigarette(e.g., because adhesive can be applied over substantially the wholeinner surface of the outer tipping material for non-diffuse tippingmaterials, or for diffuse tipping materials where the adhesive is alsoconfigured to allow a desirable diffusivity). As such, the double-tippedcigarette of the invention can exhibit improved physical integrity.Alternatively, such equipment can be suitable for applying twoappropriately aligned layers of tipping material to a cigarette, theouter layer of which is designed for the purpose of removal from thecigarette (e.g., by using a release coating type of adhesive that can beapplied to a part of or substantially the entire inner surface of theouter tipping material, or to the outer surface of the inner tippingmaterial).

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a representative “two-up” cigarette400 that can be subdivided along hashed line 2A-2A in order to providetwo filtered cigarettes 174, 409. In addition, representative manners ormethods for providing preferred types of cigarettes are described withreference to FIG. 2. A “two-up” filter segment 417 is provided. Thatrepresentative filter segment 417 includes filter material 205circumscribed by plug wrap 206. Two tobacco rods 190, 428 are aligned ateach end of the “two-up” filter segment. A first layer of tippingmaterial 208 (e.g., a so-called “patch” of tipping material) is wrappedaround the aligned components, such that the tipping materialcircumscribes the entire length of the “two-up” filter segment 417, anda portion of the length of each tobacco rod 190, 428 in the respectiveregions thereof adjacent the filter segment. Typically, that first layerof tipping material 208 circumscribes about 3 mm to about 4 mm of thelength of each tobacco rod. As such, a so called “two-up” cigarette 400is provided. For certain preferred embodiments, the first layer oftipping material is selected from a type of tipping material, and isapplied in a type of manner, each of which is comparable to thattraditionally used for commercial filtered cigarette manufacture. Or,the tipping material 208 may be applied with one or more glue seams 187.The seam(s) may be circumferentially (either partially or wholly,including being oriented transverse/perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis and/or at an angle thereto), and/or may be longitudinally disposed.

FIG. 2A shows a cigarette 409 in a partial perspective view as havingbeen cut along the line 2A-2A from a two-up cigarette of the type shownin FIG. 2. However, the cigarette 409, as shown, is provided with only asingle layer of tipping material, or has had a second layer (e.g.tipping layer 250) removed therefrom. As shown by broken lines andstippling, adhesive seams 187 are disposed longitudinally andcircumferentially (both continuously and discontinuously) between thetipping material 208 and the plug wrap 206. Specifically, the regions187 delineated by broken lines and stippling show an adhesive thatcontacts the tipping material in a generally linear manner along acircumferential inner surface near each end and along a generallylongitudinal inner surface. The tipping material may be a diffusetipping material. Various methods for specific placement of continuousand discontinuous adhesive seams during manufacturing processes arecommonly used, and new methods are forthcoming as well (see, e.g., U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/101,529 to Pipes et al.). Althoughplacement of adhesive in this manner may use adhesives that limit ordiminish diffusivity in a region where applied, it will be appreciatedthat one or more “diffuse as applied” adhesives may be used on part orall of the inner surface of tipping material that do not significantlylimit or diminish diffusivity of the tipping material in a region whereapplied. Such adhesives preferably provide a porous or otherwise diffusesurface allowing passage of air therethrough while simultaneouslyproviding desirable adhesive traits. In some embodiments, the combineddiffusivity of the tipping material and adhesive may be greater than 1cm/sec, preferably greater than about 1.5 cm/sec, often about 1 to about3 cm/sec, and frequently about 2 cm/sec.

That cigarette can be air diluted (e.g., using laser perforationtechniques) by applying at least one circumscribing ring of perforations210, 455 though the first layer of tipping material 208 and underlyingplug wrap 206. Then, the “two-up” cigarette so provided can betransferred to a second tipping assembly. There, a second layer oftipping material 250 (e.g., a second “patch” of tipping material) iswrapped around the “two-up” cigarette 400, such that the second layer oftipping material overlies the first layer of tipping material 208. Thatcigarette may be air diluted (e.g., using laser perforation techniques)by applying at least one circumscribing ring of perforations 210, 455though the second layer of tipping material 250, first layer tippingmaterial 208 and underlying plug wrap 206. Thus, for the embodimentshown, air dilution perforations can be absent, provided through bothlayers of tipping materials, or provided through only the first layer oftipping material. Then, the “two-up” combined segment including twolayers of tipping material is cut in half, perpendicular to itslongitudinal axis, to provide two finished cigarettes 174, 409. As such,the two finished cigarettes 174, 409 are both characterized by a smoothmouth end, wherein the mouth end terminus of the filter material 205,plug wrap 206, and tipping materials 208, 250 are all in the same plane.If desired, the two types of “patches” used for tipping materials 208,250 can be substantially identical to one another (e.g., in terms ofoverall visual appearance, width, length, thickness, physical propertiesand/or composition). As such, there are provided filtered cigarettesincluding two layers of tipping material that are positioned, appliedand aligned in a pre-determined, desired fashion.

Preparation of a double tipped “two-up” cigarette in the foregoingfashion is particularly suitable for applying two appropriately alignedlayers of tipping material to a cigarette, neither of which layer oftipping material is designed for the purpose of being, or intended tobe, removed from the cigarette (e.g., because adhesive can be appliedover substantially the whole inner surface of the outer tippingmaterial). Alternatively, such a methodology can be suitable forapplying two appropriately aligned layers tipping material to acigarette, an outer layer of which (if present) is configured to beeasily removable from the cigarette (e.g., by using a release coatingtype of adhesive that can be applied over substantially the whole innersurface of the outer tipping material, or the outer surface of the innertipping material).

If desired, the inner and/or outer tipping material can be applied so asto include adhesive on only selected regions thereof, such as can becarried out using so-called “skip gap” types of tipping adhesiveapplication techniques. As such, adhesive can be registered at one ormore desired locations on each tipping patch. For an outer patch of amulti-layer tipping, sufficient adhesive can be applied so as to providefor a longitudinally extending strip to tack to the underlying region ofthe cigarette (e.g., to the first layer of tipping material) as well asa longitudinally extending strip to tack onto itself (e.g., to allow thefolded over outer layer of tipping material to form a type of seam).When “skip gap” types of adhesive application are employed, adhesiveapplication may be absent at either or both ends of the adhesive stripon the region of the tipping patch that provides the outer seam of theouter tipping material; and as such, either or both longitudinal end ofthe outer tipping material can be provided with a type of tab that canbe used to grasp the outer tipping material for the purpose of tearingthat tipping material away from the remainder of the cigarette. Suchtabs may commonly have widths that are at least comparable to that ofthe seam line, and lengths of about 2 mm to about 5 mm.

Preparation of a double tipped “two-up” cigarette also can be carriedout using a single “patch” of tipping material. In such a manner, atipping “patch” having an extended length (e.g., at least sufficient inlength to allow for that “patch” to be wrapped twice around the relevantregion of the “two-up” cigarette) can be employed. For example, the“patch” of tipping material can be wrapped around the “two-up” cigaretteto form an inner tipping portion or layer that extends around that“two-up” cigarette. This may be used to produce cigarettes withsingle-layer tipping material. Or, the “two-up” cigarette can be turneda second time in order that it can be wrapped with the remaining lengthof the “patch” and thereby provide an outer tipping portion or layer. Inone embodiment, adhesive can be applied to the entire inner surface ofthe elongated “patch.” In another embodiment, adhesive can be applied tothe entire inner surface of the “patch” that forms the inner (or only)tipping layer, and “skip gap” techniques can be employed such that onlya strip of adhesive (e.g., so as to provide a seam) is applied to theportion of that “patch” that forms the outer tipping layer. Or, “skipgap” or other techniques as described herein, as known in the art,and/or as may yet be developed, may be used during application of theinner (or only) tipping material layer.

Alternative representative manners or methods for providing certainpreferred types of cigarettes also are described with reference to FIG.2. A “two-up” filter segment 417 including filter material 205circumscribed by plug wrap 206 is provided. Two tobacco rods 190, 428are aligned at each end of the “two-up” filter segment. A first layer oftipping material 208 and an outer second layer of tipping material 250are provided as a double layer of tipping material (e.g., as alaminate). That laminated layer of first and second layers of tippingmaterial 208, 250 is wrapped around the aligned components, such thatthe laminated layer of those two tipping materials circumscribes theentire length of the “two-up” filter segment 417, and a portion of thelength of each tobacco rod 190, 428 in the respective regions thereofadjacent the filter segment. As such, the so called “two-up” cigarette400 is provided. That cigarette may be air diluted (e.g., using laserperforation techniques) by applying at least one circumscribing ring ofperforations 210, 455 though the second or outer layer of tippingmaterial 250, the first layer or inner layer of tipping material 208,and underlying plug wrap 206. Then, the “two-up” combined segmentincluding two layers of tipping material is cut in half perpendicular toits longitudinal axis to provide two finished cigarettes 174, 409. Assuch, there are provided filtered cigarettes including two layers oftipping material that are positioned, applied and aligned in apre-determined, desired fashion.

Cigarette rods typically are manufactured using a cigarette makingmachine, such as a conventional automated cigarette rod making machine.Exemplary cigarette rod making machines are of the type commerciallyavailable from Molins PLC or Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. For example,cigarette rod making machines of the type known as MkX (commerciallyavailable from Molins PLC) or PROTOS (commercially available fromHauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG) can be employed. A description of a PROTOScigarette making machine is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,190 toBrand, at col. 5, line 48 through col. 8, line 3, which is incorporatedherein by reference. Types of equipment suitable for the manufacture ofcigarettes also are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,203 to La Hue; U.S.Pat. No. 4,844,100 to Holznagel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,416 to Gentry; U.S.Pat. No. 5,156,169 to Holmes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,906 to Myracle,Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,870 to Blau et al.; U.S. Pat. No.6,848,449 to Kitao et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,917 to Kitao et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,486 to Hartman; U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,548 to Hancocket al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,540 to Barnes et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.7,234,471 to Fitzgerald et al.; each of which is incorporated herein byreference.

A variety of components and operation of conventional automatedcigarette making machines are commonly used. For example, descriptionsof the components and operation of several types of chimneys, tobaccofiller supply equipment, suction conveyor systems and garniture systemsare set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,288,147 to Molins et al.; U.S. Pat. No.3,915,176 to Heitmann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,713 to Frank; U.S.Pat. No. 4,574,816 to Rudszinat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,754 to Heitmann etal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,506 to Pinck et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,665 toHeitmann; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,823 to Keritsis et al. and U.S. Pat. No.6,360,751 to Fagg et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2003/0136419 toMuller; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The automatedcigarette making machines of the type set forth herein provide a formedcontinuous cigarette rod or smokable rod that can be subdivided intoformed smokable rods of desired lengths.

Various types of cigarette components, including tobacco types, tobaccoblends, top dressing and casing materials, blend packing densities andtypes of paper wrapping materials for tobacco rods, can be employed.See, for example, the various representative types of cigarettecomponents, as well as the various cigarette designs, formats,configurations and characteristics, that are set forth in Johnson,Development of Cigarette Components to Meet Industry Needs, 52^(nd)T.S.R.C. (September, 1998); U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,944 to Arzonico et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 toGentry; U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,530 to Kraker; U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,559 toAshcraft et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2005/0066986 to Nestor et al.;2006/0272655 to Thomas et al. and 2007/0246055 to Oglesby; each of whichis incorporated herein by reference. Most preferably, the entiresmokable rod is composed of smokable material (e.g., tobacco cut filler)and a layer of circumscribing outer wrapping material.

Components for filter elements for filtered cigarettes typically areprovided from filter rods that are produced using traditional types ofrod-forming units, such as those available as KDF-2 and KDF-3E fromHauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. Typically, filter material, such as filtertow, is provided using a tow processing unit. An exemplary towprocessing unit has been commercially available as E-60 supplied byArjay Equipment Corp., Winston-Salem, N.C. Other exemplary towprocessing units have been commercially available as AF-2, AF-3, andAF-4 from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. In addition, representativemanners and methods for operating a filter material supply units andfilter-making units are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,671 to Byrne;U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,905 to Green, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,664 toSiems et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,285 to Rivers; and U.S. Pat. No.7,074,170 to Lanier, Jr. et al. Other types of technologies forsupplying filter materials to a filter rod-forming unit are set forth inU.S. Pat. No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 toRaker; which are incorporated herein by reference.

The filter material can vary, and can be any material of the type thatcan be employed for providing a tobacco smoke filter for cigarettes.Preferably a traditional cigarette filter material is used, such ascellulose acetate tow, gathered cellulose acetate web, polypropylenetow, gathered cellulose acetate web, gathered paper, strands ofreconstituted tobacco, or the like. Especially preferred is filamentarytow such as cellulose acetate, polyolefins such as polypropylene, or thelike. One filter material that can provide a suitable filter rod iscellulose acetate tow having 3 denier per filament and 40,000 totaldenier. As another example, cellulose acetate tow having 3 denier perfilament and 35,000 total denier can provide a suitable filter rod. Asanother example, cellulose acetate tow having 8 denier per filament and40,000 total denier can provide a suitable filter rod. For furtherexamples, see the types of filter materials set forth in U.S. Pat. No.3,424,172 to Neurath; U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,745 to Cohen et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 4,925,602 to Hill et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,277 to Takegawa et al.and U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,419 to Arzonico et al.; each of which isincorporated herein by reference.

Normally a plasticizer such as triacetin is applied to the filamentarytow in traditional amounts using known techniques. Other suitablematerials or additives commonly used in connection with the constructionof the filter element may also be used within the scope of the presentinvention. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,285 to Rivers.

The plug wrap can vary. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,719 toMartin. The plug wrap may be a porous or non-porous paper material. Inembodiments of cigarettes of the present invention that include adiffuse tipping material, it is highly preferable to use a porous plugwrap rather than a non-porous plug wrap. Suitable plug wrap materialsare commercially available. Exemplary plug wrap papers ranging inporosity from about 1,100 CORESTA units to about 26,000 CORESTA unitsare available from Schweitzer-Mauduit International as Porowrap 17-M1,33-M1, 45-M1, 70-M9, 95-M9, 150-M4, 150-M9, 240M9S, 260-M4 and 260-M4T;and from Miquel-y-Costas as 22HP90 and 22HP150. Non-porous plug wrapmaterials typically exhibit porosities of less than about 40 CORESTAunits, and often less than about 20 CORESTA units. Exemplary non-porousplug wrap papers are available from Olsany Facility (OP Paprina) of theCzech Republic as PW646; Wattenspapier of Austria as FY/33060;Miquel-y-Costas of Spain as 646; and Schweitzer-Mauduit International asMR650 and 180. Plug wrap paper can be coated, particularly on thesurface that faces the filter material, with a layer of a film-formingmaterial. Such a coating can be provided using a suitable polymericfilm-forming agent (e.g., ethylcellulose, ethylcellulose mixed withcalcium carbonate, nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose mixed with calciumcarbonate, or a so-called lip release coating composition of the typecommonly employed for cigarette manufacture). Alternatively, a plasticfilm (e.g., a polypropylene film) can be used as a plug wrap material.For example, non-porous polypropylene materials that are available asZNA-20 and ZNA-25 from Treofan Germany GmbH & Co. KG can be employed asplug wrap materials.

Cigarette filter rods can be used to provide multi-segment filter rods.Such multi-segment filter rods then can be employed for the productionof filtered cigarettes including multi-segment filter elements. Anexample of a two-segment filter element is a filter element including afirst cylindrical segment incorporating activated charcoal particlesdispersed within cellulose acetate tow (e.g., a “dalmation” type offilter segment) at one end, and a second cylindrical segment that isproduced from a filter rod produced essentially of flavored, plasticizedcellulose acetate tow filter material at the other end. The productionof multi-segment filter rods can be carried out using the types ofrod-forming units that traditionally have been employed to providemulti-segment cigarette filter components. Multi-segment cigarettefilter rods can be manufactured using a cigarette filter rod makingdevice available under the brand name Mulfi from Hauni-Werke Korber &Co. KG of Hamburg, Germany. Representative types of filter designs andcomponents, including representative types of segmented cigarettefilters, are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,990 to Lawrence et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,829 to Thesing et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 toRaker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074, 320 to Jones et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,838to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,419 to Arzonico et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,909 to Gentry etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,250 to Banerjee et al; and U.S. Pat. No.6,761,174 to Jupe et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2004/0261807 to Dubeet al.; 2005/0066981 to Crooks et al.; and 2007/0056600 to Coleman III,et al.; PCT Pub. Nos. WO 03/009711 to Kim, and WO 03/047836 to Xue etal.; which are incorporated herein by reference.

The length of the filter element of each cigarette can vary. Typically,the overall length of a filter element is about 20 mm to about 40 mm,and often about 25 mm to about 35 mm. For a typical dual-segment filterelement, the downstream or mouth end filter segment often has a lengthof about 10 mm to about 20 mm; and the upstream or tobacco rod endfilter segment often has a length of about 10 mm to about 20 mm.

Filter elements, or filter segment components of combination filters,typically are provided from filter rods that are manufactured usingtraditional types of cigarette filter rod making techniques. Forexample, so-called “six-up” filter rods, “four-up” filter rods and“two-up” filter rods that are of the general format and configurationconventionally used for the manufacture of filtered cigarettes can behandled using conventional-type or suitably modified cigarette rodhandling devices, such as tipping devices available as Lab MAX, MAX, MAXS or MAX 80 from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. See, for example, thetypes of devices set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 to Erdmann et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,670 to Heitmann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,187 toReuland et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,301 to Greene, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 6,229,115 to Vos et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,578 to Read, Jr.,and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2005/0103355 to Holmes and 2006/0169295 toDraghetti, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Variousmanners and methods for applying adhesives to tipping materials duringautomated cigarette manufacture are commonly known and used in the artof cigarette design and manufacture. For example, a filtered cigarettecan be tipped with a first layer of tipping material in an essentiallytraditional manner using a Lab MAX tipping device that is available fromHauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG, and that tipped cigarette can be collectedand tipped again using that device (e.g., using the device in anessentially traditional manner, or in a suitably modified manner toprovide a desired pattern of adhesive application) in order to provide afiltered cigarette including two layers of tipping material.

The first layer of tipping material most preferably extends over theentire length of the filter element, and about 2 mm to about 6 mm, oftenabout 3 mm to about 5 mm, and frequently about 4 mm over the length ofthe adjacent region of the tobacco rod. The second layer of tippingmaterial most preferably extends over the entire length of the filterelement, and about 2 mm to about 6 mm, often about 3 mm to about 5 mm,and frequently about 4 mm over the length of the adjacent region of thetobacco rod.

The tipping material that is used for any of the tipping material layerscan vary. In certain preferred embodiments, the material used toconstruct both tipping material layers has the characteristics andqualities commonly associated with cigarette tipping materials known inthe art. As such, both layers can be constructed of the types ofmaterial conventionally used as tipping material in the manufacture ofcigarettes. Typical tipping materials are papers exhibiting relativelyhigh opacities. Representative tipping materials have TAPPI opacities ofgreater than about 81 percent, often in the range of about 84 percent toabout 90 percent, and sometimes greater than about 90 percent. Typicaltipping materials are printed with inks, typically nitrocellulose based,which can provide for a wide variety of appearances and “lip release”properties. Representative tipping papers materials have basis weightsranging from about 25 g/m² to about 60 g/m², often about 30 g/m² toabout 40 g/m². Representative tipping papers are available as TervakoskiReference Nos. 3121, 3124, TK 652, TK674, TK675, A360, A362, TK696(36-gsm white), and TK604 (cork); and Schweitzer-Mauduit InternationalReference Nos. GSR270 and GSR265M2. See also, for example, the types oftipping materials, the methods for combining cigarette components usingtipping materials, and techniques for wrapping various portions ofcigarettes using tipping materials, that are set forth in U.S. Pat. App.Pub. No. 2007/0215167 to Crooks et al.

Adhesives used to secure tipping materials to each other or to otherfiltered cigarette components can vary. Typical exemplary adhesiveformulations that are used for application of tipping material to othercigarette components in commercial filtered cigarette manufacturingoperations are water-based emulsions incorporating mixtures of ethylenevinyl acetate copolymers and polyvinylacetate. Representative adhesivesthat are useful for applying tipping materials to cigarette componentsare available as Reference Nos. 32-2049 and 32-2124 from National Starch& Adhesives Corp. See also, for example, Skeist, Handbook of Adhesives,2^(nd) Edition (1977); Schneberger, Adhesive in Manufacturing (1983);Gutcho, Adhesives Technology Developments Since 1979 (1983); Landrock,Adhesives Technology Handbook (1985); and Flick, Handbook of AdhesivesRaw Materials, 2^(nd) Edition (1989).

Pressure-sensitive adhesives can be used to provide for adhesion of theouter tipping material to the remaining components of the cigarette(e.g., particularly for manufacture, handling, packaging, shipping,storage and initial use of the cigarette), as well as for providing theability to readily release (e.g., particularly so that the outer tippingcan be readily removed from the cigarette when desired). That is,suitable preferred pressure-sensitive adhesives provide a satisfactorybut temporary bond between the outer tipping material and the remainingcomponents of the cigarette, and that adhesive is such that the outertipping material or a portion thereof can be peeled away, and henceremoved from the cigarette, most preferably without leaving to anysignificant or readily noticeable degree, any adhesive residue on theunderlying cigarette components. In addition, suitable preferredpressure-sensitive adhesives, though providing sufficient adhesion sothat a double tipped cigarette can be used as desired without adhesivefailure (i.e., so as to avoid undesirable premature release of portionsof the outer tipping from the cigarette), is most preferably such thatpurposeful removal of the outer tipping material does not cause anysignificant or noticeable structural failure to the underlying cigarettecomponents. That is, most preferably, after purposeful removal of theouter tipping material, the resulting cigarette does not include anysignificant visual or structural damage resulting from the presence andremoval of that outer tipping material. If desired, the outer surface ofthe underlying first tipping material may be coated with a lacquer, orother suitable coating material, in order to provide a propensity forsubstantially all the pressure-sensitive adhesive to be removed alongwith the outer tipping material. Representative pressure-sensitiveadhesives are commercially available from a wide variety of sources,such as 3M, Rohm & Haas Company, and Ashland Specialty Chemical Company.See, also, for example, Satas, Handbook of Pressure-Sensitive AdhesiveTechnology (1982), and Satas, Advances in Pressure Sensitive AdhesiveTechnology 2 (1995).

Cigarettes can be air diluted. Tipping materials can be pre-perforated,or air diluted on-line using laser perforation techniques. Forcigarettes that are air diluted or ventilated, the amount or degree ofair dilution or ventilation can vary. Frequently, the amount of airdilution for an air diluted cigarette is greater than about 10 percent,generally is greater than about 20 percent, often is greater than about30 percent, and sometimes is greater than about 40 percent. Typically,the upper level for air dilution for an air diluted cigarette is lessthan about 80 percent, and often is less than about 70 percent. As usedherein, the term “air dilution” is the ratio (expressed as a percentage)of the volume of air drawn through the air dilution means to the totalvolume and air and smoke drawn through the cigarette and exiting theextreme mouth end portion of the cigarette. For certain preferred airdiluted cigarettes, the cigarettes are air diluted in such a manner thatthe cigarette exhibits substantially identical levels of air dilutionwhen the second layer is present on the cigarette and when the secondlayer is removed from the cigarette (e.g., by laser perforating relevantregions of a “two-up” cigarette after that cigarette has the secondlayer of tipping material applied thereto).

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a further embodiment of a filteredcigarette 174. A first tipping material 208 circumscribes both theentire length of the filter element and an adjacent region of thetobacco rod. The inner surface of the first tipping material 208 isfixedly secured to the outer surface of the plug wrap 206 and the outersurface of the wrapping material 190 of the tobacco rod, using asuitable adhesive. The cigarette 174 also includes a second tippingmaterial 250. The second tipping material 250 provides an outer layerthat overlies and circumscribes the first tipping material 208. Theinner surface, or some portion thereof, of the second tipping material250 can be fixedly secured to the outer surface of the inner or firsttipping material 208. As such, the second tipping material 250 also canoverlie the entire length of the filter element and the adjacent regionof the tobacco rod. A ventilated or air-diluted smoking article mayinclude an air dilution means, such as a series of perforations 210,each of which extends through the outer tipping material 250, the innertipping material 208, and the plug wrap 206. The cigarette 174 is shownas having one optional printed band 202 printed on wrapping material190, and that band entirely circumscribes the cigarette rod in adirection transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. That is,the band provides a cross-directional region relative to thelongitudinal axis of the cigarette. The band most preferably is appliedto the inner surface of the wrapping material (i.e., facing the smokablefiller material), but can be applied to the outer surface of thewrapping material. Although the cigarette shown includes wrappingmaterial having one band, the cigarette also can include wrappingmaterial having spaced bands numbering two, three, or more. The band 202may comprise additive materials of a coating formulation, which mayconfer, for example, flavor, burn-retardation, altered diffusivity,and/or other traits.

A diffuse area of a tipping material may comprise less than the entiresurface area. For example, about 30 percent or more of the surface areaof tipping material as applied to a cigarette may be generallynon-diffuse, while preferably up to about 70 percent of the area isdiffuse. For example, in one example of a cigarette, the tippingmaterial may have about 40 percent of its surface area being generallynon-diffuse (i.e., low-porosity) and about 60 percent of its surfacearea generally more diffuse (i.e., higher-porosity). The non-diffusearea may have that property due to inherent construction of the tippingmaterial (e.g., as formed based on thickness and/or density, as treatedwith—for example—fillers or films of the types described above withreference to wrapping materials) and/or due to the positioning ofadjacent material in the cigarette (e.g., a non-porous adhesive appliedto attach the tipping material to another cigarette portion).

EXAMPLE 1 Comparison of Standard Tipping Material with a Porous TippingMaterial

Cigarettes were tested to assess impact of a more diffuse, poroustipping material compared to a typical less diffuse, low-porositytipping material. Both the experimental and the standard/controlcigarettes were constructed with a standard 31 mm filter covered by astandard high-porosity plug wrap. For the experimental cigarettes, aspecial glue roller was used to apply adhesive only to a proximal/mouthend and the distal/tobacco-rod end of the tipping material to secure itto the filter and a tobacco rod covered with a standard wrappingmaterial (where the tipping paper was the means for attaching the filterto the tobacco rod). The standard/control cigarettes were made with aconventional tipping paper (about 0 CORESTA, 0 cm/sec diffusioncapacity) and glue roller. The experimental cigarettes were made using astandard cigarette paper (80 CORESTA, 2 cm/sec diffusion capacity). Bothgroups of cigarettes were perforated with an on-line laser to provide arange of ventilation levels. Finished cigarettes were tested todetermine yields of tar and CO at FTC smoking conditions. Table 1,below, shows a summary of the data:

TABLE 1 Filter Tipping Dilution Tar CO CO/tar Percent Paper (%) (mg/cig)(mg/cig) ratio Change Standard/ 0.0 14.2 16.0 1.13 — Control 33.8 10.411.3 1.09 — Cigarettes 50.5 8.0 5.8 1.06 — Experimental 19.2 11.7 11.60.99 −12.0 Cigarettes 53.0 6.6 6.1 0.92 −14.9 62.7 4.7 4.2 0.89 −15.9

As shown in Table 1, cigarettes with the more-porous, more diffusetipping material reduced both the tar and CO yields relative to thestandard/control cigarette, as well as the CO/tar ratio.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown another embodiment of a filteredcigarette 174. A first tipping material 208 circumscribes both theentire length of the filter element and an adjacent region of thetobacco rod. The inner surface of the first tipping material 208 isfixedly secured to the outer surface of the plug wrap 206 and the outersurface of the wrapping material 190 of the tobacco rod, using asuitable adhesive. The cigarette 174 also includes a second tippingmaterial 250. The second tipping material 250 provides an outer layerthat overlies and circumscribes the first tipping material 208. Thesecond tipping material 250 extends further upstream along the cigaretteas does the first tipping material 208, and as such, a portion of thelength of the wrapping material 190 of the tobacco rod that is notcovered or overwrapped by the first tipping material is circumscribed bythe second tipping material 250. The second tipping material 250 doesnot extend as far upstream along the cigarette as does the first tippingmaterial 208, and as such, a portion of the length of the first tippingmaterial is not covered or overwrapped by the second tipping material250. The inner surface, or some portion thereof, of the second tippingmaterial 250 can be fixedly secured to the outer surface of the inner orfirst tipping material 208, and preferably, the wrapping material 190 inthat upstream region thereof that is not circumscribed by the firsttipping material. As such, the second tipping material 250 also canoverlie the entire length of the filter element and the adjacent regionof the tobacco rod. A ventilated or air-diluted smoking article mayinclude an air dilution means, such as a series of perforations 210,each of which extends through the outer tipping material 250, the innertipping material 208, and the plug wrap 206.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown yet another embodiment of a filteredcigarette 174. A first tipping material 208 circumscribes both theentire length of the filter element 200 and an adjacent region of thetobacco rod 186. The inner surface of the first tipping material 208 isfixedly secured to the outer surface of the plug wrap 206 and the outersurface of the wrapping material 190 of the tobacco rod, using asuitable adhesive. The cigarette 174 also includes a second tippingmaterial 250. The second tipping material 250 provides an outer layerthat overlies and circumscribes the first tipping material 208. Aventilated or air-diluted smoking article may include an air dilutionmeans, such as a series of perforations 210, each of which extendsthrough the outer tipping material 250, the inner tipping material 208,and the plug wrap 206. The second tipping material 250 includes a lineor ring of a plurality of perforations 545 that extends around thecigarette essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of thatcigarette. As such, the second tipping material 250 can be subdividedabout the line of perforations in order to provide two pieces of outertipping material, one outer piece or segment 550 located at the extrememouth end of the cigarette, and the other outer piece 555 locatedupstream from that mouth end segment.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown the mouth end region of a filteredcigarette 174, such as a filter cigarette of the type describedpreviously with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 through 5. The filtermaterial 205 is circumscribed by plug wrap 206, which includes a lap orseam region 600 where a portion of the plug wrap overlies itself. Thelap zone for the plug wrap typically is about 2 mm to about 4 mm inwidth. Overlying the plug wrap 206 is a layer of first tipping material208, which includes a lap or seam region 606 where a portion of thattipping material overlies itself. The lap zone for the first tippingmaterial typically is less than about 4 mm, often less than about 3 mm,and is frequently about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm in width. Overlying thefirst tipping material 208 is a layer of second tipping material 250,which includes a lap or seam region 616 where a portion of that tippingmaterial overlies itself. The lap zone for the second tipping materialtypically is less than about 4 mm, often less than about 3 mm, and isfrequently about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm in width. In addition, beyondthe seam region 616 of the second tipping material 250, that tippingmaterial may include an extended region 620, which preferably is notadhered back onto itself, but rather, lies over its underlying outersurface and is sufficiently free to act as a tab that can be grasped bythe fingers of the smoker. The extended region, which preferably extendsalong a portion of the length of the cigarette, and for the entirelength of the second tipping material, has a width that can vary. Forexample, the extended region often can have a width of about 1 mm toabout 5 mm, and often about 2 mm to about 4 mm. If desired, printedindicia on the outer surface of the second tipping material can provideindication of the location of the extended region.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown the mouth end region of a filteredcigarette 174, such as a filter cigarette of the type describedpreviously with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 through 5. The filtermaterial 205 is circumscribed by plug wrap 206, which includes a lap orseam region 600 where a portion of the plug wrap overlies itself.Overlying the plug wrap 206 is a double layer, and most preferably, alaminated layer, of first and second tipping materials 208, 250. Thedouble layer of tipping materials includes a lap or seam region 630where a portion of the bottom or inner face of the first tippingmaterial 208 overlies a portion of the its upper or outer face. That lapzone for the first tipping material typically is less than about 4 mm,often less than about 3 mm, and is frequently about 1.5 mm to about 2.5mm in width. The double layer of tipping materials may include (thoughnot preferable) lap or seam region 635 where a portion of the bottom orinner face of the second tipping material 250 overlies a portion of theits upper or outer face, and wherein the lap or seam region may includean adhesive for securing the second tipping material to itself. That lapzone for the second tipping material, if present, typically is less thanabout 4 mm, often less than about 3 mm, and is frequently about 1.5 mmto about 2.5 mm in width. In addition, beyond the seam region 635, thesecond or outer tipping material 250 includes an extended region 680,which preferably does not have adhesive applied to its inner face, butrather, lies over its underlying outer surface and is sufficiently freeto act as a tab that can be grasped by the fingers of the smoker. Theextended region, which preferably extends along a portion of the lengthof the cigarette, and for the entire length of the second tippingmaterial, has a width that can vary. For example, the extended regionoften can have a width of about 1 mm to about 5 mm, and often about 2 mmto about 4 mm. If desired, printed indicia on the outer surface of thesecond tipping material can provide indication of the location of theextended region.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a side view of a representativelaminated tipping material including layers provided by a first tippingmaterial 208 and a second tipping material 250. The configuration ofthose tipping materials 208, 250 is such that the laminated layer oftipping material can be used to provide a filtered cigarette of the typedescribed previously with reference to FIG. 7. The layers of tippingmaterial 208, 250 are offset relative to one another, such that aportion of the second layer 250 does not overlie the first layer 208 atone side, and a portion of the first layer 208 does not overlie thesecond layer 250 at the opposite side. As such, the laminate can befolded over itself so as to provide a generally circular arrangementwith the first layer of tipping material forming the inner region andthe second layer of tipping material forming the outer tipping region.For the embodiment shown, the inside right face 684 of the inner tippingmaterial 208 can overlap and be adhered to outside left face 686 of theleft side of the inner tipping material in that region that is notoverlapped by the outer tipping material 250. As such, right side 680 ofthe outer tipping material 250 can act as the so-called extended regionor tab that can be used to pull the removable tipping material away fromthe rest of the filtered cigarette within which it is incorporated.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown a side view of a further embodimentof a laminated tipping material including layers provided by a firsttipping material 208 and a second tipping material 250. Theconfiguration of those tipping materials 208, 250 is such that thelaminated layer of tipping material can be used to provide a filteredcigarette generally of the type described previously with reference toFIG. 7. The layers of tipping material 208, 250 are offset relative toone another, such that a portion of the second layer 250 does notoverlie the first layer 208 at one side 686. For the embodiment shown,the inside right face 684 of the inner tipping material 208 can overlapand be adhered to outside left face 686 of the left side of the innertipping material in that region that is not overlapped by the outertipping material 250. As such, the laminate can be folded over itself soas to provide a generally circular arrangement with the inner tippingmaterial forming the inner region and the outer tipping material formingthe outer tipping region.

Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown the mouth end region of a filteredcigarette 174, such as a filter cigarette of the type describedpreviously with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 through 5. The filtermaterial 205 is circumscribed by plug wrap 206, which includes a lap orseam region 600 where a portion of the plug wrap overlies itself.Overlying the plug wrap 206 is a double layer of first and secondtipping materials 208, 250 that are provided encircling the cigarettetwice with a single piece of tipping material 890. The first layer oftipping material 208 preferably is adhered to the underlying plug wrap206, and also includes a lap or seam region 630 where a portion of thebottom or inner face of that inner tipping material 208 overlies aportion of its upper or outer face. A line of perforations 900,extending along the longitudinal length of the filter element, extendsacross that tipping material, and as such, defines a type of demarcationbetween the inner and outer tipping materials 208, 250. The tippingmaterial extends around the cigarette to provide the second layer oftipping material 250. The second layer of tipping material 250preferably includes a lap or seam region 920 where a portion of thebottom or inner face of that outer tipping material 250 overlies aportion of its upper or outer face and can be adhered thereto. That lapzone or region 920 for the second tipping material 250 is typically lessthan about 4 mm, often less than about 3 mm, and is frequently about 1.5mm to about 2.5 mm in width. In addition, beyond the seam region 920,the second or outer tipping material 250 includes an extended region680, which preferably does not have adhesive applied to its inner face,but rather, lies over its underlying outer surface and is sufficientlyfree to act as a tab that can be grasped by the fingers of the smoker.The extended region, which preferably extends along a portion of thelength of the cigarette, and for the entire length of the second tippingmaterial, has a width that can vary. For example, the extended regionoften can have a width of about 1 mm to about 5 mm, and often about 2 mmto about 4 mm.

Referring to FIG. 11, there is shown a single piece of “patch” oftipping material 890 that can be used to form the double wrapped tippingmaterial shown in FIG. 10. The representative single piece is at leastroughly twice the length of a conventional piece or “patch” of tippingmaterial. Thus, the tipping material piece 890 can form an inner layer208 and an outer layer 250 when that tipping material is wrapped twicearound the relevant regions of cigarette components. The inner face ofthe inner region 208 can have adhesive 950 applied thereto, in order toadhere that portion of the tipping material 890 to relevant regions ofcigarette components. The line of perforations 900 allows the tippingmaterial 890 to be separated into two pieces. A line of adhesive can beplaced in the lap or seam region 920 (e.g., which can be applied by“skip gap” techniques) provides for fastening, securing, or connectingthe outer layer of tipping material 250 in place. The tab region 680will, if present, extend beyond the adhesive line of the lap region 920.

For various embodiments of the present invention, depending upon theselection of the tipping materials, the first (i.e., inner) tippingmaterial and the second (i.e., outer) tipping material can be differentfrom one another (e.g., in terms of visual appearance, composition,physical properties or characteristics such as basis weight, sizinglevel, inherent porosity, opacity, sensory characteristics, and/orgeneral dimensions). Alternatively, those inner and outer tippingmaterials can be substantially identical to one another.

In some embodiments, a flavorant may be printed onto or otherwiseapplied to the tipping material (e.g., a single layer of tippingmaterial, or one or more layers of a multi-layer tipping material whereone or more of those layers may be removable). The flavorant may impartflavor directly to a smoker's lips and/or tongue via contact with thetipping material. Instead, or in addition, flavor may be provided byreleasing an odor—whether passively, upon contact with a smoker, or uponbeing heated by passage of, for example, mainstream aerosol. Release offlavor-affecting material (whether by or to the mouth and/or nose of thesmoker) can be activated or intensified by heating the flavorant when asmoker draws mainstream aerosol through the filter such that themainstream aerosol is proximate the flavorant. Moisture may also serveas a releasing means for flavor (e.g., from contact with a smoker's lipsand/or tongue).

As used here, “flavorant” includes any material that may be applied toor incorporated into the tipping material—preferably by printing—andthat provides one or more of a selected organoleptic sensation, asensation of one or more tastes/flavors and/or scents/aromas that may betransmitted orally and/or olfactorily, trigeminal nerve stimulationsensation, and may include a cool, warm, spicy, tangy, salty, tingly, ortart sensation for a smoker, or any combination of any of thesesensations. Flavorants may be encapsulated or added directly. They maybe printed together with, under, or on top of the inks that are commonlyapplied to tipping materials to provide a particular appearance (e.g.,appearance of cork, lettering and/or logos, visible patterns, etc.).Flavorants may also be applied with lip-release (in the cigarette art,the term “lip-release” refers to materials configured to promote easyrelease of contact between human lips and the tipping-material-coveredfilter section of a cigarette without substantial sticking, and thelip-release material referred to herein may include any standardlip-release formulations currently known and/or practiced in the art, ordeveloped in the future). A flavorant will provide a smoker with atleast one oral and/or olfactory sense beyond a tactile contact with andother normal sensation associated with a tipping material lacking aflavorant.

Flavorants applied to other parts of a cigarette such as, for example,use of flavorants applied to wrapping material surrounding the tobacco,which are released upon burning (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,190 toStokes et al.). Flavorants have also been applied to the filter towand/or plug wrap (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,098 to Owens, Jr. andU.S. Pat. No. 7,381,277 to Gonterman, et al.). However, the presentapplication of flavorants to tipping paper provides a new approach. Theflavorants used on, and released upon burning of, wrapping materials areexpected to have different flavor profiles than the unburned flavorantsof the present application. In addition, rather than exhibiting aprimary impact upon the flavor or other sensations of mainstreamaerosol, the present application of flavorants to tipping paper willprimarily have a direct impact upon the smoker through the lips, tongue,and/or nose, even though the smoker may also enjoy an effect upon themainstream aerosol from certain flavorants entering the aerosol streamfrom air passage through the tipping paper. It is expected that asmoker's main sensory input from the flavorant may not come in themainstream aerosol being drawn through the filter of a cigarette,although the tastes and/or other sensations will complement the smoker'sappreciation of the mainstream aerosol.

The flavorant(s) may include or be included in a variety of substratesfor application to the tipping material such as, for example, inks,films, or other compositions that may include one or more pigments,fillers, and/or optical brightening agents. In a preferred embodiment,the flavorant composition is formulated to be printed on one or bothsides of tipping material before, during, or after assembly of a smokingarticle such as a cigarette. However, the formulation may also beapplied by other means including, for example, misting, spraying, orsoaking the tipping material. One or more flavorant compositions may beincorporated into tipping material during its manufacture.

At least one layer of flavorant, and possibly several layers of one ormore flavorants (in each layer-applied together, or separately), isapplied to a wrapping material, preferably using a printing process.Most preferably, the coating formulation is applied using intaglioprocesses. As such, gravure coating techniques, such as rotogravureprinting techniques, are particularly preferred. Other techniques forthe coating formulation to the wrapping material include blade coating,air-knife coating, roll-coating and shaft coating techniques.Alternatively and/or additionally, the layers of coating formulation canbe applied by spraying, ink jet coating, or other similar printingtechniques. A printed wrapping material will thereby be provided with apattern by application of at least one flavorant material to a tippingmaterial. The pattern preferably may be applied to the tipping materialin a so-called offline fashion (i.e., offline relative to themanufacture of that wrapping material).

Gravure printing techniques involve printing from the continuous surfaceof a met al cylinder engraved mechanically or etched chemically so as topossess minute grooves or cells below the surface of that cylinder. Atypical printing cylinder surface is provided by etching a smooth,polished copper surface and plating that etched surface with chrome.Those recessed cells or grooves hold liquid (or liquid dispersion)formulations form impressions, layers or “bumps” to be deposited ontothe desired location of a substrate, such as a continuous web of paperwrapping material. Rotogravure printing presses have been commerciallyavailable from Bobst Champlain, Inc.; from Cerutti S.p.A.; from Rotomek,S.p.A.; from Intra-Roto, Inc.; as Merkur Heliostar from Wirdmoller &Holscher, and KBA TR 7B from Albert-Frankenhal AG. Gravure printingtechniques are described in Pocket Pal, published by International PaperCompany (1970); Scarlett et al., What the Printer Should Know About Ink(1984); and Gravure, Process and Technology, Grav. Educ. Fdn. and Grav.Assoc. Amer. (1991). Thus, the selection and operation of gravureprinting equipment as commonly used in the art may be practiced withinthe scope of the present invention. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.6,725,867 to Peterson et al. and 6,997,190 to Stokes et al., both ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Equipmentand techniques for applying coatings and inks to paper wrappingmaterials suitable for the manufacture of tobacco rods for cigarettesare set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,675 to Milford et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 5,878,753 to Peterson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,754 to Peterson etal.; and PCT Pub. No. WO 02/37991. See, also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,110 toRosner.

Other printing techniques may be used as well, including flexographic,ink-jet, thermal-transfer (including laser), screen printing, or anyother method for transferring a composition to a paper or paper-likematerial such as tipping material. Different solvents may be selected tocarry the flavorant during application. Most solvents preferably willevaporate and/or will not have a negative impact upon the flavorant(including a smoker's experience thereof). Preferably, the solvent willnot disrupt or damage the structure of the wrapping material (e.g., byweakening it) or negatively affecting its appearance, nor will it conferany undesirable flavor. Solvents used with gravure printing orflexographic printing may include water, methylated spirits, ethylacetate, isopropanol, and/or n-propyl acetate. Solvents used with screenprinting may include cyclohexanone, butoxyethanol, aromatic distillates,butyrolactone, and/or methoxypropanol acetate. Solvents used with inkjet printing may include methanol, ethanol, methylethylketone,ethylacetate, acetone, and/or ethyl lactate. Solvents used withprintable ink resins may include acrylics, alkyds, cellulosederivatives, rubber resins, ketone, maleics, formaldehydes, phenolics,epoxides, fumarics, polyurethanes, polyvinylbutyrals, polyamines, and/orshellac. Solvents used with pigment dispersants in inks (with or withoutflavorant) may include monomeric cationic, anionic, or amphotericsurfactants as well as various homopolymers or copolymers that may berandom block copolymers or graft copolymers such as comb copolymers.Printing may form one or more patterns or may cover substantially anentire surface of the tipping material.

In addition to the printing-type and other applications describedherein, smoking articles also can incorporate at least one flavorcomponent within an adhesive used to apply the tipping material. Someexamples of flavorants that may be printed or otherwise applied to thetipping material or in the adhesive include methyl cyclopentenolone,vanillin, ethyl vanillin, inulin, 4-parahydroxyphenyl-2-butanone,gamma-undecalactone, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol,5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, methyl salicylate, clary sageoil and sandalwood oil. These flavor components may be employed inamounts of about 0.2 percent to about 6.0 percent, based on the totalweight of the adhesive and flavor components. Other flavorants(including flavor and aroma precursors) include, for example, vanillinglucoside and/or ethyl vanillin glucoside. See, for example, U.S. Pat.No. 4,804,002 to Herron; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,486 to Dube et al.,each of which in incorporated herein by reference. Other types offlavorants used in cigarette manufacture are set forth in Gutcho,Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) andLeffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972), eachof which is incorporated herein by reference. Other flavorants mayinclude, for example, ethyl vanillin, caryophyllene oxide, sugars (e.g.,rhamnose), and different flavor precursors that will produce a flavorand/or aroma when contacted by the lips or tongue of a smoker and/orheat and/or moisture from mainstream aerosol. Inks useful as flavorantsproviding a scent, aroma, or other olfactory sensation include thosedisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,947 to Malloy et al and U.S. Pat. No.6,454,842 to Vernardakis et al.

Flavorants may be incorporated by means other than printing one or bothsurfaces of tipping material. For example, tipping material may bedipped into a flavorant material such that it will be absorbed therebyand/or will adsorb to surfaces of material making up the tippingmaterial. As another example, microcapsules may be incorporated into thetipping material and configured to release flavorant(s), for example,upon contact with moisture and/or warmth of a smoker's lips, or, forexample, in an embodiment with a multi-layer tipping material, uponremoval of an outer layer of tipping material. For examples of syntheticcapsules and biologically-derived “capsules” (e.g., yeast organisms as adelivery means) and methods that may be used within the scope of thepresent invention, see Kondo, Microcapsule Processing and Technology,ISBN 0824768574 (1979); Iwamoto et al., AAPS Pharm. Sci. Tech. 20023(3): article 25; U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,598 to McGlumphy and U.S. Pat. No.6,117,455 to Takada et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2006/0096605 toKarles, et al.; 2006/0135335 to Dawson, et al.; 2006/0144412 to Mishraet al.; 2006/0174901 to Karles, et al.; 2007/0012327 to Karles, et al.;and 2007/0095357 to Besso, et al., each of which is incorporated byreference herein. Representative types of capsules and componentsthereof also are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,558 to Waterbury; U.S.Pat. No. 3,390,686 to Irby, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,521 to Dock;U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,914 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,144 toTateno et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,722 to MacAdam et al.; U.S Pat.Pub. Nos. 2004/0261807 to Dube et al.; and PCT App. No. WO 03/009711 toKim; which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, the types ofcapsules and components thereof set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,185 toTakei et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,093 to Takei; U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,680to Suzuki et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,933 to Nakamura et al.; and U.S.Pat. No. 6,949,256 to Fonkwe et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos.2004/0224020 to Schoenhard; 2005/0123601 to Mane et al.; 2005/0196437 toBednarz et al. and 2005/0249676 to Scott et al.; which are incorporatedherein by reference.

Printing and other formulations incorporating flavorants can be appliedover an entire surface of the tipping material, over portions of one orboth surfaces of the tipping material. It may be applied, for example,in single- or multi-layer bands, in other printed patterns (decorativepatterns, letters, etc), some or all of which may include flavorant(s).For examples of methods and materials useful in providing multilayeredbands, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,493to Chapman, et al. Some preferredflavorants will exhibit sensory characteristics that can be described ashaving notes that are sweet, woody, fruity, or some combination thereof.The flavorants preferably are employed in amounts that depend upon theirindividual detection thresholds. In one aspect, the flavorants may beemployed in sufficient amounts to mask or ameliorate any off-tastes ormalodors associated with burning paper. Combinations of flavorants maybe used to provide one or more desired sensory characteristics to theexperience of a smoker from the smoking articles incorporating thoseflavorants. In some applications, those flavorants may be employed inamounts and manners so that their sensory characteristics are barelydetectable so they do not adversely affect the overall sensorycharacteristics of smoking article into which they are incorporated. Inother aspects, a strong or at least distinctive flavor may be desirableto satisfy a particular taste of a smoker.

For example, some flavorings will provide a unique sensation to a smokerthat may include, but go beyond one or more of taste, smell, and tactilesensation. For example, such flavorants may include menthol, menthanes,menthones, sweet proteins (e.g., thaumatin, monellin), essential oilscontaining menthol or menthol-like compounds (e.g., peppermint), otheressential oils (wintergreen, spearmint), succinate esters, capsaicin,cinnamon, or any commercially-available (or future-developed) “coolingcompounds” or “spicy compounds” (e.g., Evercool® (Givaudan FlavorsCorp.); WS-3, WS-5, & WS-23 (Wilkinson Sword Ltd.); Frescolat® MGA(Haarmann & Reimer)), and other sources of flavorant compounds. See alsothe flavorants and methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,118 toWatson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,091 to Watson et al.; U.S. Pat. No.4,082,098 to Owens, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,592 to Rainer et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 4,300,576 van der Loo et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,390 toNichols et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,277 to Gonterman, et al.

Preferred flavorants may be incorporated into printing formulations,will have low vapor pressures, will not have a tendency to migrate orevaporate under normal ambient conditions, and will be stable under theprocessing conditions experienced by tipping materials of the presentinvention. Exemplary flavorants that provide sweet notes include ethylvanillin, vanillin, inulin (a fructose oligomer), heliotropin,methylcyclopentenolone; and those flavorants typically are employed inamounts of 0.001 to about 0.01 percent, based on the total weight of theprinting formulation into which they are incorporated. An exemplaryflavorant that provides woody notes includes caryophyllene oxide; andthat flavorant typically is employed in amounts of 0.2 to about 0.6percent, based on the total weight of the printing formulation intowhich it is incorporated. Exemplary flavorants that provide fruity notesinclude ketones such as 4-hydroxphenyl-2-butanone and lactones such asgamma-dodecalactone; and those flavorants typically are employed inamounts of 0.001 to about 0.1 percent, based on the total weight of theprinting formulation into which they are incorporated. Other flavorantsare well known within the tobacco, food-preparation, and confectionaryarts, and it will be appreciated that such flavorants may be used withinthe scope of the present invention.

For example, confectionary inks are known in the art including those,for example, those available from Sherwood Brands (in Candicraft Pens).Edible inks that may include flavor are not new and have been used withfoodstuffs (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,082 to Winkler, et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,453,122 to Lyon; U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,134 to Stewart; U.S.Pat. No. 7,128,938 to Stewart; PCT Pub. No. WO/2004/057985 to Pearce etal.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2005/0003048 to Pearce et al. and2007/0222830 to Moynihan et al.).

For embodiments of the present invention including more than one layerof tipping material, one or more flavorants will be included in at leastone layer of tipping material and may be included in a plurality oflayers. In a cigarette embodiment having a plurality of tipping materiallayers, a first layer may include a first flavorant, and a second layermay include a second flavorant, wherein the flavorants may impart thesame, similar, or different sensations, and wherein—if different—thesensations may be complementary or contrasting. In a multi-layer tippingmaterial embodiment where one or more outer layers are removable, asmoker may have a selection option of flavors (e.g., an inner tippingmaterial layer having a first flavorant, and an outer tipping materiallayer having a second flavorant, such that the smoker may select to usethe product with both layers in place providing a combined sensationfrom the inner layer flavorant(s) and outer layer flavorant(s), or toremove the outer layer with its flavorant(s) and experience only theflavorant(s) of the inner tipping material layer).

FIG. 2B shows a cigarette 409 in a partial perspective view as havingbeen cut along the line 2A-2A from a two-up cigarette of the type shownin FIG. 2. However, the cigarette 409, as shown, is provided with only asingle layer of tipping material, or has had a second layer (e.g.tipping layer 250) removed therefrom. This embodiment includes a patternof flavorant 287 applied to an exterior surface as a plurality of bandsthat are disposed generally longitudinally and circumferentially (bothcontinuously and discontinuously). The tipping material 208substantially circumscribes the filter element 205 along itslongitudinal periphery and a smokable rod covered by wrapping material190 along a proximal portion of its longitudinal periphery adjacent tothe filter element 205. Specifically, the flavorant bands 287 aredesignated by stippled regions, which may be easily visible to a user,or which may be clear or color-matched to the tipping material such thatthey are not readily visible. The stippled flavorant band region may bedisposed in or on the tipping material, and may include capsules (e.g.,each stipple or set of a plurality of stipples may represent a capsulesuch as a microcapsule) or other flavorant means. The pattern may takeany number of other forms as will readily be apparent (e.g., otherbanded patterns, checked patterns, zigzags, geometric or non-geometricpatterns, images, lettering, etc.), and may be applied to the undersideof the tipping material alone, or in combination with a pattern on theupper side of the tipping material.

In one embodiment, the first tipping material can be one color or of onetype of appearance (e.g., white in appearance), and the second tippingmaterial, which preferably can be removable from the cigarette, can beanother color or of another type of appearance (e.g., printed so as tohave a brown cork-type of appearance or printed with other indicia).Other cosmetic differences can be provided by using one type of tippingmaterial that is smooth, high opacity, shiny, or of high luster inappearance, and one type of tipping material that is rough, low opacity,dull or satiny in appearance. Other visual effects can be provided byusing different graphics on each of the two tipping materials. Thus,there is provided a manner or method by which the smoker can, byremoving the second tipping material from the cigarette during use,select the desired general appearance or of a cigarette.

In one embodiment, the first tipping material can be selected so as toinclude one type of tactile character, and the second tipping material,which preferably can be removable from the cigarette, can include adifference type of tactile character. For example, the inner tippingmaterial can include an outer surface that can be characterized as wavy,rough, variegated, including folds or creases, having an accordion-typeor bellows-type configuration, or the like; while the outer tippingmaterial can include an outer surface that can be characterized assmooth, slick, or the like. In that regard, suitable coating agents(e.g., a lacquer) that provide a slick, smooth feel to the outer surfaceof the outer tipping material can be employed. Alternatively, the innertipping material can be highly perforated (e.g., from the bottom faceoutwards), embossed, subjected to fillagraining processing, printed withcoatings (e.g., ink formulations or starch-based materials that provideraised or textured surface properties), or treated with particulatematerial within an adhesive film). For example, sugar crystals, saltcrystals, rupturable flavor-containing microcapsules, cellulosic fibers,particles of calcium carbonate, or the like, can be secured to the outersurface of the inner tipping material using an over-layer or patternedover-layer of a suitable adhesive.

Tipping materials that each can provide a mouth end region that canexhibit a different feeling when placed in the lips of the smoker alsocan be accomplished through the use of two types of laminated tippingmaterials. For example, the inner face of the outer tipping material canbe coated with a suitable release coating; and the outer face of theinner tipping material can treated so as to have regions that providefor desired adhesion to the release coating as well as regions thatprovide the desired surface texture. Thus, there is provided a manner ormethod by which the smoker can, by removing the second tipping materialfrom the cigarette during use, select the tactile sensation provided bythe outer mouth end region of that cigarette.

In one embodiment, the first tipping material can be selected so as toinclude certain other physical properties, and the second tipping, whichpreferably can be removable from the cigarette, can include differentphysical properties. For example, the tipping materials can differ isterms of basis weight, thickness, tensile strength, wet strength,moisture porosity, air permeability, flexibility, general or overallhardness, general or overall softness, or the like.

In one embodiment, the first tipping material can be selected so as toinclude the ability to secure the filter element to the tobacco rod.Such can be provided by selection of a material having desired surfaceproperties, ability to seal, ability to accept adhesive, and the like.The second tipping material can be selected so as to provide desirablevisual, tactile and sensory properties. As such, cigarettes of bothhighly desirable sensory quality and good physical integrity can beprovided.

In one embodiment, the first tipping material can be selected so as toexhibit one type of aroma or flavor sensation, and the second tippingmaterial, which can be removable from the cigarette, can be selected soas to exhibit another type of aroma or flavor sensation. In one aspect,the amount of aromatic or flavorant carried by one of the tippingmaterials can differ from that amount carried by the other. Thus, forexample, an outer tipping material carrying a relatively low level ofaromatic or flavorant can provide one type of sensation; while an innertipping material carrying a relatively high level of aromatic orflavorant can, when the outer tipping material is removed from thecigarette, provide impact in terms of the delivery of that aromatic orflavorant to the lips and mouth of the smoker. In certain embodiments,the outer tipping material can be adapted to prevent flavorantsincorporated in between the tipping materials or within the innertipping material from escaping prior to use of the cigarette, or can beadapted to mask the flavorant prior to cigarette use. At the time ofuse, the smoker can remove the outer wrapping material to expose theflavorant.

Exemplary manners and methods for providing encapsulated materials, suchas microencapsulated flavorants, are set forth in Gutcho, Microcapsulesand Microencapsulation Techniques (1976) and Gutcho, Microcapsules andOther Capsules Advances Since 1975 (1979). Exemplary types ofmicrocapsules can have diameters of less than 100 microns, an often canhave outer shells that are gelatin based, cyclodextrin based, or thelike. Microcapsules have been commercially available, and exemplarytypes of microcapsule technologies are of that type set forth in Kondo,Microcapsule Processing and Technology (1979); Iwamoto et al., AAPSPharm. Sci. Tech. 2002 3(3): article 25; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,598 toMcGlumphy and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,455 to Takada et al.

In one embodiment, releasable flavoring or aromatic agents, such as areprovided by encapsulated flavor materials, can be incorporated intoeither or both of the first and second tipping materials. For example,microcapsules can be positioned in the region between the layers oftipping materials; and such flavors can be released by application ofpressure or peeling of the outer tipping material from the inner tippingmaterial. Alternatively, or in addition, capsules (includingmicrocapsules) could be placed on the underside of the tipping material,the top surface thereof, or embedded therein (as well as anycombination, or being placed between the tipping material and the plugwrap and/or filter). As used herein, capsules or microcapsules refer tocrushable or otherwise disruptable or disintegrable components that maybe formed from, for example, a gel with a skin, a rigid or semi-rigidshell with a liquid, aromatic, or semi-liquid core (that may becontained in one or more inner capsules), or another capsuleconstruction. They may be crushed or otherwise disrupted to release aflavorant. The capsules may be applied with an adhesive, in asuspension, or incorporated into a tipping material. The capsules may beconfigured to be crushed or otherwise disrupted by a smoker's fingers(e.g., by pinching or rolling the cigarette), by mouth contact (e.g.,heat, pressure, moisture of the mouth), and/or smoking process.

Exemplary flavorants suitable for use in the invention may be natural orsynthetic, and the character of these flavors can be described, withoutlimitation, as fresh, sweet, herbal, confectionary, floral, fruity orspice. Specific types of flavors include, but are not limited to,vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cream, mint, spearmint, menthol, peppermint,wintergreen, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cascarilla,sandalwood, honey, jasmine, ginger, anise, sage, licorice, lemon,orange, apple, peach, lime, cherry, and strawberry. See also,Leffingwill et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products, R. J.Reynolds Tobacco Company (1972). Flavorings also can include componentsthat are considered moistening, cooling or smoothening agents, such aseucalyptus. These flavors may be provided neat (i.e., alone) or in acomposite (e.g., spearmint and menthol, or orange and cinnamon).Composite flavors may be combined in a single capsule as a mixture, oras components of multiple capsules. The flavoring material may cover anentire surface of the tipping material.

In one embodiment, the tipping materials can include printed indicia formarketing or other purposes. For example, markings or indicia on eitheror both of the tipping materials can aid in identification of properlymanufactured cigarettes so as to assist in identifying or recognizingcounterfeit cigarettes. As another example, markings on the inner orouter face of a removable outer tipping material can be used to identifyproduct, act as a coupon or ticket, act a game piece, or the like.

In one embodiment, the tipping materials can be used to enhance thedegradability of spent cigarette portions, such as cigarette butts. Forexample, outer tipping materials, which might be desirable for providingcertain sensory characteristics, can be removed after the cigarette issmoked. That portion of the outer tipping material removed from thecigarette butt can be disposed of separately from the remainder of thecigarette butt. As such, absence of that tipping material within thecigarette butt can provide for enhanced degradability of the remainingbutt components.

In certain embodiments, the outer tipping material can be constructed ofa paper having characteristics and qualities, such as combustibility,commonly associated with cigarette paper used as smokable rod wrappingmaterial 190. In such embodiments, the outer tipping material isdesigned to be removed from the inner tipping material though use of,for example, a pressure sensitive adhesive or skip gap adhesiveapplication between the inner and outer tipping material that providessufficient adhesive strength to maintain the outer tipping material inplace prior to use by the smoker, but which can be removed from theinner tipping material when desired. As such, the outer tipping materialcan be removed to expose the inner tipping material prior to smoking.Alternatively, the smoker may, in certain embodiments, slide the outertipping material down to the smokable rod portion of the cigarette suchthat a portion of the smokable rod has a double layer of wrappingmaterial. The presence of the double wrapping on a portion of thesmokable rod can reduce visible sidestream smoke or alter the sensorycharacteristics (e.g., the flavor or aroma characteristics of the smoke)or chemistry of the smoke generated by the cigarette. For example, theouter tipping material may include any of the flavoring or aroma agentsdiscussed herein, including, for example, the flavor and aromaprecursors discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,486 to Dube et al., which isincorporated by reference herein. In this manner, the smoker canselectively alter the sensory characteristics of the smoke as desired orsimply remove the outer tipping material.

Referring to FIG. 12, there are shown components of a smoking article300 in the form of a filtered cigarette. The cigarette 300 includes agenerally cylindrical rod 320 of a charge or roll of smokable fillermaterial 308 contained in a circumscribing wrapping material 318 of thepresent invention. The rod 320 is conventionally referred to as a“smokable rod” or “tobacco rod”. The ends of the tobacco rod are open toexpose the smokable filler material. At one end of the tobacco rod 320is the lighting end 304, and at the other end is shown a filter element302. The cigarette 300 is shown as having one optional printed band 322printed on wrapping material 318, and that band entirely circumscribesthe cigarette rod in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis ofthe cigarette. That is, the band provides a cross-directional regionrelative to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. The band mostpreferably is applied to the inner surface of the wrapping material(i.e., facing the smokable filler material), but can be applied to theouter surface of the wrapping material. Although the cigarette shownincludes wrapping material having one band, the cigarette also caninclude wrapping material having spaced bands numbering two, three, ormore. The band 322 may comprise additive materials of a coatingformulation, which may confer, for example, flavor, burn-retardation,altered diffusivity, and/or other traits.

The cigarette 300 normally includes a filter element 302 or othersuitable mouthpiece positioned adjacent one end of the tobacco rod 320such that the filter element and tobacco rod are axially aligned in anend-to-end relationship, preferably abutting one another. Filter element302 has a generally cylindrical shape, and the diameter thereof isessentially equal to the diameter of the tobacco rod. The ends of thefilter element are open to permit the passage of air and smoketherethrough. The filter element 302 includes filter material 308 (e.g.,plasticized cellulose acetate tow) that is overwrapped along thelongitudinally extending surface thereof with circumscribing plug wrapmaterial 310. The filter element 302 can comprise two or more filtersegments (not shown), and/or flavor additives incorporated therein.

The filter element 302 is attached to the tobacco rod 320 by a tippingmaterial 312 which circumscribes both the entire length of the filterelement and an adjacent region of the tobacco rod. The inner surface ofthe tipping material 312 is fixedly secured to the outer surface of theplug wrap 310 and the outer surface of the wrapping material 318 of thetobacco rod, using a suitable adhesive (e.g., a water-based adhesive ofthe type traditionally employed by cigarette manufacturers forapplication of tipping paper during filtered cigarette manufacture).That is, the first tipping material extends around the longitudinallyextending periphery of substantially the entire length of the plug wrap,and a portion of the longitudinally extending periphery of the wrappingmaterial of the tobacco rod in a region of the tobacco rod immediatelyadjacent to the filter element. A ventilated or air-diluted smokingarticle may be provided with an air dilution means, such as a pluralityor series of perforations 314, each of which extend through the tippingmaterial 312 and plug wrap 310. Most preferably, adhesive is applied toa longitudinally extending seam line or lap zone (not shown) of thefirst tipping material, such as is conventionally employed duringcigarette manufacture. As with the embodiments described above thatinclude more than one layer of tipping material, the tipping material312 may be printed or otherwise treated with a flavorant using one ormore of the methods and/or materials described above. As one example,the tipping material 312 may be printed with bands 323 of a flavorantformulation as described above. As another example, one or both surfacesof the tipping material 312 may be printed with a pattern that may coversome or substantially all of said surface with a flavorant, and/or oneof the other means described above may be used to incorporate or applyflavorant into/onto the tipping material.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come tomind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains havingthe benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description; andit will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations andmodifications of the present invention can be made without departingfrom the scope or spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the claims, which define theinvention. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used ina generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A filtered cigarette having a distal end and a proximal end, andcomprising: a smokable rod and a filter element having a distal filterend and a proximal mouth end; the smokable rod being secured to thedistal filter end by a first tipping material that substantiallycircumscribes the filter element along its longitudinal periphery andcircumscribes the smokable rod along a proximal portion of itslongitudinal periphery adjacent to the filter element; wherein thetipping material comprises at least one nonperforated diffuse region,the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec.2. The cigarette of claim 1, further comprising a second tippingmaterial.
 3. The cigarette of claim 2, wherein the second tippingmaterial is disposed overlying at least a portion of first tippingmaterial.
 4. The cigarette of claim 3, wherein the second tippingmaterial comprises a diffusivity of less than about 1 cm/sec.
 5. Thecigarette of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the second tippingmaterial is removable from the cigarette.
 6. The cigarette of claim 1,wherein the first tipping material comprises a diffusivity of at leastabout 1.5 cm/sec.
 7. The cigarette of claim 1, wherein the first tippingmaterial comprises a diffusivity of about 1 cm/sec to about 3 cm/sec. 8.The cigarette of claim 1, wherein the first tipping material comprises apaper material.
 9. The cigarette of claim 1, wherein the first tippingmaterial comprises a polymer sheet material.
 10. The cigarette of claim1, wherein the first tipping material comprises a moisture resistantmaterial disposed at least on a mouth-end region configured to contactthe mouth of a smoker.
 11. The cigarette of claim 1, wherein the firsttipping material comprises a lip-release material disposed at least on amouth-end region configured to contact the mouth of a smoker.
 12. Thecigarette of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive contacting at leastone side of the first tipping material, the adhesive substantiallydisposed in a generally linear manner around at least a portion of acircumferential inner surface of the tipping material.
 13. The cigaretteof claim 1, further comprising an adhesive contacting at least one sideof the first tipping material, the adhesive substantially disposed in agenerally linear manner along a generally longitudinal portion of acircumferential inner surface of the tipping material.
 14. The cigaretteof claim 1, further comprising an adhesive contacting at least one sideof the first tipping material, the adhesive being generally diffuse. 15.The cigarette of claim 14, wherein the diffusivity of the first tippingmaterial with adhesive is about 1 cm/sec to about 3 cm/sec.
 16. Thecigarette of claim 14, wherein the diffusivity of the first tippingmaterial with adhesive is about 2 cm/sec.
 17. The cigarette of claim 1,further comprising at least one perforated region of the first tippingmaterial.
 18. A filtered cigarette having a distal end and a proximalend, and comprising: a smokable rod and a filter element having a distalfilter end and a proximal mouth end; the smokable rod being secured tothe distal filter end by a first tipping material that substantiallycircumscribes the filter element along its longitudinal periphery andcircumscribes the smokable rod along a proximal portion of itslongitudinal periphery adjacent to the filter element; whereinsubstantially the entire tipping material comprises a nonperforateddiffuse region, the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at leastabout 1 cm/sec.
 19. The cigarette of claim 18, wherein the first tippingmaterial comprises at least one fiber material configured to enhance itsstructural integrity.
 20. A filtered cigarette comprising: a distal endportion comprising a tobacco rod and a proximal end portion comprising afilter element having a distal filter end and a proximal mouth end; thesmokable rod being secured to the distal filter end by a tippingmaterial that substantially covers the outer surface of the filterelement along its longitudinal circumference and the smokable rod alonga proximal portion of its circumference adjacent to the filter element;wherein the tipping material comprises at least one nonperforateddiffuse region, the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at leastabout 1.5 cm/sec; and wherein the tipping material comprises at leastone flavorant applied thereto in a pattern that covers less than anentire surface of the tipping material and providing a sensorycharacteristic selected from organoleptic sensation, taste sensation,aroma sensation, trigeminal nerve stimulation sensation, and anycombination thereof.